Yeas and nays



G. W. YERBY. APPARATUS FOR TAKING AYES AND NAYS.

Patented Aug. 5, 1851.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

G. WILLIAM YERBY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MACHINE FOR TAKING YEAS AND NAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,279, dated August 5, 1851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, G. WVILLIAM YERBY, of WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Taking Yeas and Nays, and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the principle or character which distinguishes them from all other things before known and of the usual manner o:t making, modifying, and using the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a perspective view and Fig. 2 a section showing the parts under the floor.

Many plans have been proposed for taking the votes in legislatiye bodies with rapidity and celerity, but in most of these contrivances there is a want of simplicity in construction and certainty of action, as well'as liability to mistake on the part of the voter.

My improved apparatus is extremely simple and it possesses great certainty of action and the vote is distinctly recorded and remains so until purposely removed after copying and counting.

The apparatus consists (as shown in the drawings of a pair of studs ((4 a) which project) through the floor of the legislative hall beneath the desks (b) of the members. These studs are covered and protected when not in use by a cover (0) which shuts down over them and prevents their being operated on by accident. The studs (a a) communicate by means of wires and cranks under the floor, similar to those used for bells with the recording apparatus at the speakers desk, when the wires (d) ascending from the floor are attached to one arm of the bell cranks (e e) and the other arms are connected by the wires (f f) with the curved springs (9 These springs are attached to part of the desk (It) and their extremities are furnished with sockets into which pieces of slate pencil are inserted and fixed there by set screws. Under the points of the pencils pieces of zontal and a short distance above the slates,

so that when the springs are drawn back by the wires, &c., the points descend in a curved line and are drawn along the surface of the slate with a gentle pressure which is sufficient to make a distinct mark, but without bearing so hard as to break the pencils. Each members desk is furnished with a pair of studs communicating by wires &c., with their respective recording apparatus, at the speakers desk, the whole of which can be so arranged as to occupy but little space.

hen a vote is to be taken each member first raises the cover of the studs under his desk, and if he wishes to vote in the affirmative he presses on the right hand stud, which causes a mark to be made by the right hand pencil, but if he wishes to vote in the negative he presses on both studs which causes two marks to be made on the slate, and thus the vote can be taken from the whole assembly in a few seconds, and without danger of error.

Pieces of ivory, porcelain, paper, &c., may

be substituted in place of the slates and receive the mark from lead pencils, chalk or or other substance.

Having thus fully described my improve ments, what I claim as new therein and which I desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s The peculiar form and action of the springs which carry the pencil by which a draw mark is made without risk of breaking the point.

G. WM. YERBY.

Witnesses:

L. S. SMITH, B. HALL, J. W. CoLLnY. 

